We’re going to put it out there: Valentine’s Day is the most divisive day of the year. For loved-up couples it’s a chance to celebrate with nice plans and thoughtful gifts. For the singles among us, all the overpriced flowers and cutesy social media posts teeter somewhere between annoying and rage-inducing.
One thing we can all agree on (surely) is that given the dire weather and general lovey-dovey vibes, Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to watch a rom-com. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our favourites to watch whatever your romantic situation.
There are options perfect for snuggling up with your partner or, ahem, setting the mood for the evening, but also films that’ll have you cackling if you’re spending the day alone (and perhaps feeling a little bitter). Without further ado, here’s your Valentine’s plans sorted – whoever you’re spending it with.
If you want a classic…
When Harry Met Sally
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star as the eponymous New Yorkers whose prickly first meeting on a post-college road trip sparks a decades-long debate: can men and women ever really be just friends? The film tracks Harry and Sally through a series of serendipitous run-ins over 12 years – from awkward acquaintances to close confidants – as they swap partners, careers and increasingly candid late-night conversations. Sharp, funny and surprisingly tender, it’s a love story that simmers rather than sprints, it’s perfect viewing for anyone who believes in fate… or at least very good timing.
Dirty Dancing
A killer soundtrack? Amazing chemistry? That lift? Jennifer Grey stars as Baby, the wide-eyed teen who heads to a Catskills holiday camp and finds her world turned upside down when she meets brooding dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). What starts as a secret summer fling quickly deepens into something far more meaningful, as Baby is drawn into Johnny’s world of after-hours dance parties, dance routines and upstairs-downstairs-eque class divides.
Pretty Woman
This modern Cinderella tale sees Julia Roberts sparkle as Vivian, a Hollywood Boulevard escort who’s unexpectedly hired by cool-headed corporate raider Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) for a week of high-society appearances. What begins as a strictly business arrangement soon evolves into something far more complicated, as Vivian swaps her thigh-high boots for Rodeo Drive glamour and Edward discovers there’s more to life than hostile business takeovers. The whole thing is capped with one of the most iconic – if a little cheesy – final lines in film history.
The Notebook
A classic tearjerker starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as Noah and Allie, The Notebook follows young lovers whose whirlwind summer romance in 1940s South Carolina is derailed by class divides and life’s messy realities. Told across decades and framed by an elderly man reading their story from a well-worn notebook, it charts missed chances and the magnetic pull that keeps drawing them back together. It’s a sweeping, sentimental and unapologetically romantic love story with the most bittersweet ending that’d bring a tear to any cynic’s eye.
If you want something steamy…
Fifty Shades of Grey
Does this one need introducing? Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan star as Anastasia Steele and billionaire Christian Grey in the film adaptation of the bestselling book that brought erotica into the mainstream. When shy literature student Ana interviews the intensely private Grey, the pair are drawn into a charged, complicated relationship that pushes her far beyond her comfort zone. As their connection deepens, Ana begins to question whether she can accept Christian’s controlling world – and whether love can exist on his terms. Glossy, provocative and undeniably addictive, it’s a modern romance that leans into fantasy, power and the allure of the forbidden.
Blue is the Warmest Color
This 2013 coming-of-age drama follows Adèle, a shy French teenager whose life shifts when she becomes captivated by the confident, blue-haired art student Emma. What begins as curiosity quickly deepens into an all-consuming first love, charting the highs of passion and self-discovery alongside the painful growing pains of identity, ambition and adulthood. The film made history at Cannes by becoming the first to share the Palme d’Or between its director and lead actresses.
Call Me By Your Name
Based on André Aciman’s bestselling novel, this sun-drenched coming-of-age romance follows Elio (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17-year-old spending the summer at his family’s villa in northern Italy, whose world tilts when his father’s charming American research assistant, Oliver (Armie Hammer), arrives. What begins as teasing curiosity slowly blossoms into a heady, secretive first love, set against lazy afternoons, bike rides and the hazy beauty of an Italian summer. That peach scene? Not for the faint-hearted.
Friends with Benefits
When best friends (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) decide to keep things simple by adding a no-strings-attached arrangement to their friendship while they’re both single, what could possibly go wrong? Set against the buzz of New York, their easy banter and undeniable chemistry soon blur the lines between casual and complicated. It’s a sharp, funny and refreshingly frank take on modern dating.
If you’re feeling very single…
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
All three Bridget Jones films are fantastic, but the second holds a special place in our hearts. In Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Renée Zellweger’s lovably chaotic heroine finds herself navigating the perils of a new relationship with Mark Darcy – and her own knack for overthinking absolutely everything. From romantic misunderstandings to disastrous holidays and a few run-ins with the ever-charming rogue Daniel Cleaver, Bridget’s attempt to keep her happy ending on track leads to a string of gloriously cringe-worthy escapades.
Legally Blonde
Sorority stunner Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) swaps Malibu pink for Harvard Law’s stuffy lecture halls in a bid to win back her no-good ex – only to discover she’s far smarter, sharper and more capable than anyone ever gave her credit for. Armed with a killer wardrobe, a chihuahua and an unshakeable positivity, Elle turns the boys’ club on its head, proving that you can be a formidable lawyer and very well dressed. It’s the ultimate girl-power classic.
Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids is impossible to watch without cackling. Kristen Wiig stars as Annie, a down-on-her-luck baker whose life unravels just as her best friend gets engaged and asks her to be maid of honour. Cue a gloriously chaotic run of bridal showers, dress fittings and increasingly unhinged attempts to keep it together, not helped by a scene-stealing Melissa McCarthy as the wildly unpredictable Megan.
Bride Wars
Life-long besties Liv and Emma (Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway) are inseparable – until a clerical mix-up books their dream weddings at The Plaza on the exact same day. What starts as a polite attempt to compromise quickly spirals into an all-out bridal showdown, complete with sabotaged hair appointments, spray tans gone wrong and a very ridiculous blue haircut. It’s the ultimate love story to friend loyalty, and the realisation that no matter how picture-perfect the big day looks, it’s the people standing beside you that matter most.
If there are youngsters around…
Clueless
Any film riffing on a Jane Austen plotline is off to a strong start, and Clueless delivers sun-soaked spin on Emma. Alicia Silverstone is iconic as Cher Horowitz, the Beverly Hills teen queen who fancies herself a matchmaking mastermind: orchestrating makeovers, meddling in romances and ruling the school. But when her good intentions backfire, Cher is forced to confront her own blind spots (and unexpected feelings for one very charming stepbrother, hello Paul Rudd). Still influencing wardrobes decades on, it’s a teen classic that proves being a little bit clueless is all part of growing up.
Enchanted
Featuring an all-star cast including Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden, this romcom begins in the animated fairytale land of Andalasia before whisking wide-eyed princess Giselle into the very real, very cynical streets of New York City. As she tries to navigate life without talking animals or spontaneous musical numbers, Giselle strikes up an unexpected bond with pragmatic divorce lawyer Robert, and begins to question what ‘happily ever after’ really looks like.
You’ve Got Mail
Nora Ephron’s classic romcom sees rival New York booksellers Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) sparring in real life as their competing shops go head to head, all while unknowingly falling for each other online via a string of anonymous emails. As their digital connection deepens, their real-world animosity becomes harder to ignore, leading to a delicious will-they-won’t-they tangle of secrets. Ryan and Hanks’ effortless chemistry is as irresistible as ever, and it’s full of all Ephron’s signature charm.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
The iconic 1960s classic stars Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, the effortlessly chic New York socialite drifting through parties, admirers and late-night trips to Tiffany’s in search of something to anchor her. When she strikes up an unlikely friendship with her neighbour, struggling writer Paul Varjak (George Peppard), their playful bond slowly deepens into something more meaningful, forcing Holly to confront the vulnerability she’s been running from. It’s a swanky romance that’ll have fashionistas drooling.
If you like enemies to lovers…
The Proposal
Sandra Bullock stars as Margaret Tate, a formidable publishing boss who’s on the brink of deportation – and promptly ropes in her long-suffering assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her and save her visa. What begins as a strictly transactional engagement soon spirals into chaos when the pair head to Andrew’s family home in Alaska for a make-or-break visit with his suspicious relatives and immigration officials hot on their heels. If you love a forced proximity rom-com, this one’s for you.
The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement
Now settled in Genovia and finally finding her royal footing, Princess Mia (Anne Hathaway) is dealt a very inconvenient rule: to claim the throne, she must be married within 30 days. What follows is a whirlwind search for a suitable husband and a carefully staged courtship with the perfect on-paper suitor, before the unexpected arrival of charming rival Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine), who may have his own designs on the crown. As palace politics, public expectations and her own heart collide, Mia must decide what kind of queen she wants to be – and whether love can ever be part of the job description.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Kooky journalist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) is tasked with writing a column on how to drive a man away in ten days, while smooth-talking ad exec Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) has a bet riding on making a woman fall in love with him in the exact same timeframe – and, of course, they pick each other. As their games spiral into genuine feelings (and a few very public disasters), the line between strategy and sincerity starts to blur. Also, Kate Hudson in that pale yellow dress? Stunning.
10 Things I Hate About You
Another modern Shakespeare adaptation (this time riffing on The Taming of the Shrew), this teen classic follows sharp-tongued outsider Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) and the school’s mysterious bad boy Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). When Kat’s overprotective dad bans her younger sister from dating unless Kat does too, a plan is hatched to pay Patrick to take her out – but what begins as a scheme quickly turns into something far more genuine. Packed with witty one-liners, high school hijinks and that swoon-worthy stadium serenade, it’s a coming-of-age romance about looking past first impressions – and falling for the person no one else quite understands.
